Perry Ellis

Remember when the only men who wore capris were stylish Euros? Well, these days American guys are a lot more style-savvy. "I knew I was taking a risk with the capris," Perry Ellis' creative director, John Crocco, said post-show. "But we had a few capri options for men in stores and they were selling really well, so I thought, Why not?" Cut cleanly in sand and white linen and ending a few inches below the knee, they were a nice companion to the salmon, mustardy ocher, and periwinkle jackets and knits. The colors were inspired by his recent travels to the Painted Desert in Arizona. "It's about the traveler, the road trip meets safari," Crocco explained.

With plenty of linen, cotton, and an intriguing chintz-linen blend, plus roomy uncomplicated cuts, there was a pleasant, airy feel to the collection. Crocco added some approachable tailoring touches, such as suit trousers that hit at the ankle and a handsome white-on-white seersucker sport coat. When he did venture deeper into trends—a couple of color-blocked sweaters might look cheekily right on a svelte downtowner, but you could see the potential for disaster in the wrong hands—it was with a likable, gentle nudge most shoppers will likely respond to.